Admiral (Germany)

Admiral, short Adm, (German: Admiral) is the most senior flag officer rank in the German Navy. It is equivalent to general in the German Army or German Air Force. In the Central Medical Services there is no equivalent. In the German Navy Admiral is, as in many navies, a four-star rank with a NATO code of OF-9. The most recent officer of the German Navy to hold the rank is Admiral Joachim Rühle, who serves as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium since 2020.

This article is about the German Navy rank. For the equivalent naval rank in other countries, see Admiral.
Admiral
Admiral
Shoulder and sleeve insignia
Country Germany
Service branch German Navy
AbbreviationAdm
Rank groupFlag officer
NATO rank codeOF-9
Pay gradeB10
Next lower rankVizeadmiral
Equivalent ranksGeneral

However, in other German speaking naval forces, e.g. Imperial German Navy, Reichsmarine, Kriegsmarine, Volksmarine, and the Austro-Hungarian K.u.K. Kriegsmarine, admiral was an OF-8 three-star flag officer rank.

Address

The official manner of formal addressing of military people with the rank Admiral (OF-9) is "Herr/Frau Admiral". However, as to German naval traditions the addressing in seamen's language of military people with any flag officer rank (OF-6 to OF-9) is "Herr/Frau Admiral". In the Imperial German Navy, an admiral would be addressed as "Eure Exzellenz" (Your Excellency)[1]

Rank insignia and rating

Its rank insignia, worn on the sleeves and shoulders, are one five-pointed star above a big gold stripe and three normal stripes (without the star when rank loops are worn).

The rank is rated OF-9[2] in NATO, and equivalent to general in Heer, and Luftwaffe. It is grade B10 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence.

History

German navies until 1945

Admiral as a rank first appeared in Germany in the 19th century and was expanded in the early 20th century as part of a build-up and mobilization in preparation for the First World War. The rank again saw a resurgence during the Second World War.

National People's Army
GDR-Admiral Wilhelm Ehm and Vizeadmiral Gustav Hesse (1979)

Admiral was the second highest flag officer grade of the Volksmarine, equivalent to the three-star rank Generaloberst.

In the GDR Volksmarine there have been the three flag officer ranks Konteradmiral, Vizeadmiral, and Admiral. By decision of the GDR State Council from March 25, 1982, the rank Flottenadmiral was introduced.

Insignia
InsigniaShoulderSleeveRank flagHigher/lower
rank
 Imperial German Navy[3] Großadmiral
Vizeadmiral
 Reichsmarine[4] None
Vizeadmiral
 Kriegsmarine[5] Generaladmiral
Vizeadmiral
 Volksmarine[6] Flottenadmiral
Vizeadmiral
 German Navy[7] None
Vizeadmiral

See also

References
  1. Brockhaus (1911) s.v. Titulaturen
  2. STANAG 2116
  3. "Dienstgrade und Uniformen". kleiner-kreuzer-dresden.de (in German). Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  4. Hoyer, K; Brennecke, F (1925). Die Uniformen des Reichsheeres und der Reichsmarine nebst amtlichen Uniformtafeln; mit Genehmigung des Reichswehrministeriums (in German). Charlottenburg: Verlag "Offene Worte, ". OCLC 44571687.
  5. Mollo 2001, p. 19.
  6. Luft, Kathleen (1988). "National Security". In Burant, Stephen R. (ed.). East Germany: a country study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 264–265. LCCN 87600490. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  7. "Dienstgradabzeichen Marine". bundeswehr.de (in German). Bundeswehr. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  • Mollo, Andrew (2001). The Armed Forces of World War II: Uniforms, Insignia & Organisation. Leicester: Silverdale books. ISBN 1-85605-603-1.
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